Easy-to-Make Flannel Blanket

I enjoy giving handmade gifts to friends and family. It’s my way of showing how much I care. I love making personalized gifts that reflect my friends’ and family’s interests. This easy-to-make flannel blanket is the perfect personalized handmade gift. And it really is easy to make (but shhhh, we won’t tell anyone how easy it is).

Last Christmas I was overwhelmed by life. I didn’t have the energy to make complicated gifts for loved ones. I wanted to make special handmade gifts, but I needed the gifts to be easy to make. I was wandering through the fabric section of my craft store and saw all the amazing options of flannel available. I realized that there is a flannel pattern and color for every interest and preference. It was easy to find a pattern for everyone on my gift list.

Be sure to look in the baby flannel fabric area in addition to the regular flannel fabrics. Some of those baby fabrics are not very babyish, they actually pretty sophisticated. I was surprised.

Easy-to-Make Flannel Blanket

Flannel Fabric – You need two coordinating flannel fabrics. I used 1 1/2 yards for most of the blankets. I did use 2 yards for a blanket I made for a 6 foot plus tall friend. Choose the length of fabric based on how tall your gift recipient is.

Scissors

Sewing Machine

There are so many beautiful and interesting flannel fabrics. Take your time and find the perfect fabrics for your recipients. I had so much fun looking through the fabrics and ended up chatting with several other ladies looking at fabric. We had a grand old time choosing fabrics together.

You may recognize this black and white fashion fabric from my free pillow sham pattern. I am so charmed with how it coordinates with this sweet cherry blossom fabric.

How fun is this wine fabric? Paired with the subtle grey pattern it makes a sophisticated throw blanket. How about this adorable sushi fabric? It makes me smile every time I see it. And look how the personality of the blanket changes simply by changing the second fabric.

Lay the fabrics down with right sides together. Make sure you have the directions of the prints running in the same direction. I lined up the finished side of each piece of fabric. Then I lined up the top of the blanket. Double check to make sure your patterns are right side up based on the top of the blanket.

Line up the fabrics on the top of the blanket and on each side. Trim the longer fabric on the bottom of the blanket so that the two pieces are the same length.

Sew around the blanket edge. I started on the finished side with the printing so that I made sure that I placed the seam so that the text didn’t show. I used a 1/4 inch seam for the other three sides of the blanket. Be sure to leave a 4 inch opening at the bottom of the blanket so that you can turn it right side out.

Snip the corners of the blanket. Turn the blanket right-side out. Handsew the opening shut. Sew a seam about 4 inches from the edge to create a border. I simply lined the edge of the blanket up with the body of my sewing machine and used that as a guide.

I handstitched a heart in the upper corner of each blanket. It’s a small, but personal touch that makes this handmade gift just a bit more special.

I made eight of these flannel throw blankets for family and friends. They were a big hit with everyone. I’m so pleased with how each of these flannel blankets turned out that I’m not even embarrassed at how easy they were to make.

You can create your own easy-to-make flannel blanket in about 15 – 20 minutes. It’s a great beginning sewing project. But be warned that you may find all the beautiful flannel fabrics addictive. I know I have. I may start handing flannel throw blankets out to strangers just so I can make more.

I really love how they turned out! I want to make a flannel blanket for each of my kids, and have added the supplies to my weekend’s shopping list. Wish me luck! (And thank you for sharing this tutorial!)